HALF YEARLY REPORT JANUARY TO JUNE 2001

The six-month under saw the completion of the first annual work programme and cost estimate for the PACE Coordination Unit. It was extended three times, each time for one month at no additional cost to enable the coordination units in Bamako and Nairobi to fmalise the work programme for the second year. The PACE Advisory Committee held its third meeting in January 2001, during which the PACE strategy was broadly approved. The first PACE Regional Coordination Meeting for the West and central African countries was held from 29 to 31 June 2001 in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). The consolidated work programmes of another 18 countries were approved as two batches (Batch II parts 1 and 2), with effect from 1 January 2001 (10 countries) and 17 May 2001 (8 countries). A restricted tender dossier was prepared by the PCU to recruit up to 15 technical assistants mainly at regional level. The pre qualification applications from consortia interested were received by the PCU for evaluation purposes. By end of June 2001, the PCU had consolidated the work plan and cost estimates of 23 countries. An Ad hoc steering committee was established in May 2001 in order to better monitor and manage the programme jointly with the PCU, the RAO and the EC Delegation in Nairobi. It met twice- once in May and again in June. During this period, the full complement of the PEU was in place. However the Communication TA for West and Central Africa resigned with effect from 31 March 2001. The international Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seconded a veterinary laboratory specialist who arrived in January 2001 for an interim period of six months.